"Letter to a woman" Sergei Yesenin wrote in 1924. This is one of the author's most famous lyric poems. In the poem, Yesenin refers to his ex-wife, Zinaida Reich, whom the poet abandoned when she was carrying his second child. He quit, for the sake of an affair on the side, spun in a drunken frenzy.

It would seem that a scoundrel, a scoundrel - such a betrayal is unthinkable to survive! Yesenin, of course, was not going to leave the family, but it was Reich who insisted on breaking up, who could not forgive the betrayal. But, at the same time, she reacted so painfully to the betrayal of her adored husband that she had to undergo treatment in a psychiatric clinic after. Her love was too strong. Reich's love was not at all like Yesenin's love. The woman's love was huge, and heavy, like an ancient stone vase filled with water. It was impossible to lift her and quench her thirst. you could only kneel down to drink this moisture and stay with it until the end of your life, because you can’t take it on your way, on your life’s journey. Irresistible love! Love is shackles. Such, over time, burns out everything that is alive in the soul, and after that nothing else grows in this desert. Is big love good? If you can’t take her with you, but you can only stay with her forever and depend on her? And Yesenin's love was light and heady, like a glass of affordable wine. It did not quench thirst, but briefly plunged into a feeling of euphoria.

So why did Yesenin decide to talk in a poem with Reich? They caused each other a lot of pain, not because they were bad people. And just because they were human. Yesenin in this poem finally releases her, her former beloved, and says that the suffering has ended. He will no longer torment her with reproaches. He will no longer disturb her heart with memories and will not blame her for breaking up the relationship. It is very important to say that you are guilty. After all, if you do not ask for forgiveness, the pain will drag on all your life, even if your paths with the person have diverged forever. Yesenin with this poem asks for forgiveness, forgives himself and lets go of the pain of love killed by their own hands. What could be more inevitable than loneliness? Only choice. And the outcome...

The text of the poem can be read in full on our website online.

Do you remember,
Of course, you all remember
How I stood
Approaching the wall
You excitedly walked around the room
And something sharp
They threw it in my face.

You said:
It's time for us to part
What tormented you
My crazy life
That it's time for you to get down to business,
And my lot -
Roll on, down.

Darling!
You didn't love me.
You did not know that in the host of people
I was like a horse driven in soap
Spurred by a brave rider.

You didn't know
That I'm in solid smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I'm tormented that I don't understand -
Where the rock of events takes us.

Face to face
Can't see faces.
Big is seen from a distance.
When the sea surface boils,
The ship is in a sorry state.

Earth is a ship!
But suddenly someone
For new life, new glory
In the midst of storms and blizzards
He directed it majestically.

Well, which of us is big on deck
Didn't fall, vomit, or swear?
They are few, with an experienced soul,
Who remained strong in pitching.

Then I too
Under the wild noise
But maturely knowing the work,
Went down into the ship's hold,
To avoid watching human vomit.
That hold was -
Russian kabak.
And I bent over the glass
So that, without suffering for anyone,
destroy yourself
In a frenzy drunk.

Darling!
I tortured you
you had longing
In the eyes of the weary
What am I showing to you
He wasted himself in scandals.

But you didn't know
What's in the smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I suffer
What I don't understand
Where the rock of events takes us...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Now the years have passed
I'm at a different age.
I feel and think differently.
And I say over the festive wine:
Praise and glory to the helmsman!

Today I
In the midst of tender feelings.
I remembered your sad tiredness.
And now
I'm rushing to let you know
What was I
And what happened to me!

Darling!
Nice to say to me:
I avoided falling off the cliff.
Now in the Soviet side
I am the most furious fellow traveler.

I became not the one
Who was then.
I wouldn't torment you
As it was before.
For the banner of liberty
And bright work
Ready to go even to the English Channel.

Forgive me...
I know you are not the one
Do you live
With a serious, intelligent husband;
That you do not need our maeta,
And I myself to you
Not a bit needed.

Live like this
How the star guides you
Under the tabernacle of the renewed canopy.
Greetings,
always remembering you
Your friend
Sergey Yesenin.

You remember, you remember everything, of course,
As I stood close to the wall
You excitedly walked around the room
And they threw something sharp in my face.
You said that it's time for us to part,
And that my crazy life has tormented you,
That it's time for you to get down to business,
And my destiny is to roll on, down.
Darling! You didn't love me.
And you did not know that in this crowd of people
I was like a horse driven in soap,
Spurred on top by a bold rider.
And you did not know that I was in solid smoke,
And in life torn apart by eternal storms
That's why I'm tormented that I can't understand -

You can't see face to face.
After all, everything is big, as a rule,
Seen from a distance.
When the sea surface boils and foams,
The ship is in a deplorable state.
Tell me which one of us is big on deck
Didn't fall, vomit, or swear?
There were few of them left who with an experienced soul,
Who remained strong even in pitching.
Then I, too, to the wild and howling noise,
But maturely knowing his work,
Went down into this dark ship hold,
So as not to look from above outside human vomiting.
That hold turned out to be a Russian tavern.
And now I'm bent over a faceted glass,
So that, without suffering for anyone, destroy yourself,
In a frenzy drunk.

Darling! I know. I tortured you.
You had longing in the eyes of the tired.
That I show off to you every evening
He wasted himself in petty scandals.
But you didn't know that I'm all over the place
In a life torn apart by eternal storms
That's why I'm tormented that I can't understand
Where does this rock of events take us?

Conscience inside claws,

You remember, of course you all remember
Conscience inside claws,
Under the lampshade and leaning on your elbows
I am writing a letter to you in a smoky room.

Now the years have passed, I'm at a different age.
And I feel and think in a completely different way.
And I say over the festive wine:
A commendable balgodary toast to our helmsman!
Today, I am in shock of tender feelings.
I remembered your sad tiredness.
And now, at full speed, I tell you I'm racing,
What was I and what happened to me!
I am not who I was then.
I wouldn't torture you like I did before.
For the banner of liberty and bright labor
Ready to go even to the Channel.
Forgive me...
I know: you are not the one - you live
With a serious and intelligent husband;
That you don’t need our maeta for a penny,
And you don't even need me.
So live as the star guides you
Under the tabernacle of the renewed canopy.
Greetings, always remembering you
Your friend Sergei Yesenin.

You remember, of course you all remember
Conscience inside claws,
Under the lampshade and leaning on your elbows
I am writing a letter to you in a smoky room.

You remember, of course you all remember
Conscience inside claws,
Under the lampshade and leaning on your elbows
I am writing a letter to you in a smoky room.

Literary critics attribute this message to a completely new round in the work of Sergei Yesenin, when he rethinks his views on life and on the future of the country. Turning to a woman, the poet reflects on the future of both his own and the country. And these lines are addressed to the only real wife of Yesenin, from whom he asks for forgiveness ...

A touching poem by Sergei Yesenin "Letter to a Woman" is dedicated to his wife Zinaida Reich. The poet left her, succumbing to a fleeting passion when she was expecting her second child. The divorce knocked the woman down, and she was treated in a mental hospital for a long time. And only in 1922, Zinaida Reich married director Vsevolod Meyerhold. It was he who took responsibility for Yesenin's children.

However, Yesenin himself accused his wife of divorce, arguing that it was she who insisted on breaking off relations. According to the poet's friends, he never forgave Zinaida, because she lied to him, said that before the wedding she had no ties with men. Because of this lie, he could not trust her.

But one way or another, in 1924, Yesenin is visited by remorse, and he asks for forgiveness from his ex-wife in poetic lines ...

And in 1924 he writes a famous poem in which he asks for forgiveness from his ex-wife.

Do you remember,
Of course, you remember everything
How I stood
Approaching the wall
You excitedly walked around the room
And something sharp
They threw it in my face.
You said:
It's time for us to part
What tormented you
My crazy life
That it's time for you to get down to business,
And my destiny -
Roll on, down.
Darling!
You didn't love me.
You did not know that in the host of people
I was like a horse driven in soap
Spurred by a brave rider.
You didn't know
That I'm in solid smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I suffer that I do not understand -
Where the rock of events takes us.
Face to face
Can't see faces.
Big is seen from a distance.
When the sea surface boils -
The ship is in a sorry state.
Earth is a ship!
But suddenly someone
For new life, new glory
In the midst of storms and blizzards
He directed it majestically.
Well, which of us is big on deck
Didn't fall, vomit, or swear?
They are few, with an experienced soul,
Who remained strong in pitching.
Then I too
Under the wild noise
But maturely knowing the work,
Went down into the ship's hold,
To avoid watching human vomit.
That hold was -
Russian kabak.
And I bent over the glass
So that, without suffering for anyone,
destroy yourself
In a frenzy drunk.
Darling!
I tortured you
you had longing
In the eyes of the weary
What am I showing to you
He wasted himself in scandals.
But you didn't know
What's in the smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I suffer
What I don't understand
Where the rock of events takes us...
Now the years have passed.
I'm at a different age.
I feel and think differently.
And I say over the festive wine:
Praise and glory to the helmsman!
Today I
In the midst of tender feelings.
I remembered your sad tiredness.
And now
I'm rushing to let you know
What was I
And what happened to me!
Darling!
Nice to say to me:
I avoided falling off the cliff.
Now in the Soviet side
I am the most furious fellow traveler.
I became not the one
Who was then.
I wouldn't torment you
As it was before.
For the banner of liberty
And bright work
Ready to go even to the English Channel.
Forgive me...
I know you are not the one
Do you live
With a serious, intelligent husband;
That you do not need our maeta,
And I myself to you
Not a bit needed.
Live like this
How the star guides you
Under the tabernacle of the renewed canopy.
Greetings,
always remembering you
Your friend
Sergey Yesenin.

And today, remain a mystery to literary critics and historians.

Do you remember.
You spoke.
My crazy life.
Darling.
Do you remember,
Of course, you remember everything
How I stood
Approaching the wall
You excitedly walked around the room
And something sharp
They threw it in my face.
You said:
It's time for us to part
What tormented you
My crazy life
That it's time for you to get down to business,
And my destiny -
Roll on, down.
Darling!
You didn't love me.
You didn't know that in human doubt
I was like a horse driven in soap
Spurred by a brave rider.
You didn't know
That I'm in solid smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I suffer that I do not understand -
Where does this rock of events take us?
Face to face
Can't see faces.

The big is seen from a distance.
When the sea surface boils -
The ship is in a sorry state.
Earth is a ship!
But suddenly someone
For new life, new glory
In the midst of storms and blizzards
He directed it majestically.

Well, which of us is big on deck
Didn't fall, vomit, or swear?
They are few, with an experienced soul,
Who remained strong in pitching.

Then I too
Under the wild noise
But maturely knowing the work,
Went down into the ship's hold,
To avoid watching human vomit.

Darling!
I tortured you
you had longing
In the eyes of the weary
What am I showing to you
He wasted himself in scandals.
But you didn't know
What's in the smoke
In a life torn apart by a storm
That's why I suffer
What I don't understand
Where the rock of events takes us...

Now the years have passed.
I'm at a different age.
I feel and think differently.
And I say over the festive wine:
Praise and glory to the helmsman!
Today I
In the midst of tender feelings.
I remembered your sad tiredness.
And now
I'm rushing to let you know
What was I
And what happened to me!

Darling!
Nice to say to me:
I avoided falling off the cliff.
Now in the Soviet side
I am the most furious fellow traveler.
I became not the one
Who was then.
I wouldn't torment you
As it was before.
For the banner of liberty
And bright work
Ready to go even to the English Channel.
Forgive me...
I know you are not the one
Do you live
With a serious, intelligent husband;
That you do not need our maeta,
And I myself to you
Not a bit needed.
Live like this
How the star guides you
Under the tabernacle of the renewed canopy.
Greetings,
always remembering you
Your friend
Sergey Yesenin.

Translation of the text of the song Misha Mavashi - Letter to a woman (verse by Sergei Yesenin)

You remember.
You talked about.
My crazy life.
Favorite .
Do you remember
You certainly remember
As I stood there
Approaching the wall
Excitedly walked around the room you
And something dramatic
In the face threw me.
You said:
Time for us to leave
What are you tortured
My crazy life
That it is time for you to deal,
And my destiny
Roll farther down.
Favorite !
I did not like you.
Do not you know that the human somnische
I was like a horse driven into soap
Spurred by a bold rider.
You didn't know
I'm in a solid smoke

Since I suffer and that I do not understand -
Where shall we have this rock events.
face to face
Person cannot be seen.

Big is seen in the distance.
When the surface of the sea is boiling -
Ship in a deployable state.
Earth - the ship!
But someone suddenly
For new life, new glory
In the midst of storms and direct blizzards
Its stately sent.

Well, which one of us on the deck of a large
Do not fall, do not vomit and did not wear?
There are few, with an experienced soul
Who remained strong in pitching.

Then I
under wild noise
But knowing mature work,
Descended into the ship's hold,
So as not to look human vomit.

Favorite !
I tortured you
Have you been longing
In the eyes of the wear:
What I paraded before you
Squandered themselves in scandals.
But you didn't know
That in the continuous smoke
In the ruined life of the storm
Since I am suffering,
What I don't understand
Where events taking us ...

Now years have passed.
I aged another.
And I feel and think differently.
And I say the festive wine:
Praise and glory to the steering!
Today I
In the impact of affection.
I remembered your sad weariness.
Now
I tell you rush
What I was
And what happened to me!

Favorite !
I am delighted to say:
I avoid falling down the steep slope.
Now in the Soviet side
I most furious companion.
I wasn't the same
Who was then.
I wouldn't torture you
As it was before.
Behind the banner of liberty
and light work
Ready to go at least to the English Channel.
Excuse me...
I know you "re not the one -
you live
With a serious, intelligent husband;
What do you do not need our drudgery,
And I myself you
Not the least bit necessary.
Live so
How do you lead a star
Under the canopy of Tabernacles updated .
With a greeting,
Always remembering you
your acquaintance
Sergei Yesenin.